Turndown shirt collar



Patented Oct. 1, 1946 U'Ni Ten STATES PATENT o F F1 c E TURNDOWN SHIRT. COLLARV Leonardi U. Michael; Montreal; Quebec, Canada Application-October 6, 1945, Serial No. 620,678

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a one-piece shirt collar, designed. to fold along apredetermined line.

The term one-piece as .used herein is intended. todesignate collars in which the neck band and liap portions of the facing plies are in one piece as distinguished from: two-piecey collars in which separately formed` neck band and flap por-V tions are secured together by stitching.

Conventional one-piece collars are unsatisfactory in that they tend to fold along lines other than those intended by the maker of the shirt and soon lose their original shape and symmetrical appearance.

Two-piece collars are open to the objection that they show stitching and do not present a pleasing appearance when left open for hot-weather comfort.

The present invention provides a one-piece collar designed s that it will always fold along the same predetermined line of fold and will present a pleasing symmetrical appearance regardless of whether it is worn buttonedl at the neck with a cravat or is left open-at the neck for hot weather comfort.

Another important feature is that, in the open position of the collar, there is no unsightly eX- posure of stitching to mar the appearance of the collar.

More particularly, the invention consists in the provision of a one-piece shirt collar comprising plies of facing material concealing an interposed lining presenting a normally limp and flexible single-ply flap portion and a relatively stiff multi-ply neck band portion having afold line delining upper edge along which the nap portion of the collar consistently folds when turned down to overlie the neck band portion.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 i's a plan View of my improved collar as it appears when laid out in a fiat unfolded condition.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary View of the neck portion of a shirt to which the collar shown in Figs. l and 2 is permanently sewn by any suitable method which renders the sewing inconspicuous.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a lining ply corresponding to the ysingle-ply lining ordinarily employed in permanently attached turn-down collars.

Figure 5 is a plan View of one of the fold line VCTI 2 andfy neck banddening lining plies which is assoeiated` with the lining ply of Fig. 4 in forming the complete lining.

Figure; 6 isva plan View of a further fold line and neck band defining lining ply which, is associated with. the lining pliesof- Figs. 4 and 5 in forming the complete lining.

Figure 7 is a View showing how the lining plies of Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive are assembled to form the complete lining.

The dotted line 5 in Figure 1 indicates the line of demarcation between the flap portion 6 of the collar and the neck band portion "I, It also indicates the line of fold along which the flap portion of the collar naturally and consistently folds when turned down over the neck band portion.

The fiap and neck band portions of the collar are formed and defined by sewing in place between the one-piece facing plies 8 a special lining presenting a single-ply flap portion 9 and a relatively stiff multi-ply fold line dening neck band portion II). The component plies of the neck band portion of the lining are respectively indicated at II, I2 and I3. The neck band ply I I and the flap portion 9 of the lining are formed by a single strip of material which corresponds to the ordinary lining incorporated in a conventional permanently attached turn-down collar.

The intermediate neck band ply I2 of the lining is an adhesive or fusibly ply which is interposed between and fused to the outer neck band plies I I and I3 to provide a relatively stiff fold line delining neck band construction. in this connection, it will be noted that the lining -plies i2 and I3 are dimensioned and shaped so that their upper edges form, in effect, a projecting shoulder I6 at one side of the lining ply II which defines the fold line 5 and the upper edge of the neck band portion of the collar.

In the present instance, each of the lining plies I2 and I3 is shaped so that it presents a straight lower edge I4, relatively short substantially vertical end edges I5, and a convexly curved upper edge I5. The shoulder effect formed by the convexly curved upper edges of the lining plies I2 and i3 is sufficiently pronounced so that the flap portion E of the collar will naturally and consistently fold along these edges when turned down over the neck band portion 1.

The lining ply I2 may consist of any suitable material which develops adhesive and stiffening properties when subjected to heat. It may consist of any suitable fabric coated or impregnated With cellulose acetate or other substance which enables it to develop adhesive and stiffening properties when interposed between the lining plies Il and I3 and subjected to heat. It may also consist of fabric having thermoplastic yarns woven into the texture of the fabric to provide a lining ply similar to that used in certain types of separable so-called fused-ply collars.

The component neck band plies I I, I2 and I3 of the lining are assembled, as shown in Figure '7, with the adhesive or fusible ply I2 interposed between the outer lining plies II and I3, The three plies II, I2 and I3 are sewn together along their lower edges as indicated at Il and are then fused together by the application of heat and/ or pressure. The complete lining is then sewn in place between the facing plies 8, as shown in Figure 2, to form the complete collar which is then sewn to the neck band portion I8 of the shirt I9 by any suitable method of sewing which leaves the stitching relatively inconspicuous,

Having thus described the nature of my invention and the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope and spirit of the appended claims. v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A one-piece collar comprising two facing plies and a lining intermediate the facing plies, said lining comprising a. plurality of plies, one of said lining plies being coextensive with the neck band and flap portions of the collar, and another of said lining plies being coextensive with the neck band portion only of the collar, said second lining ply containing thermoplastic adhesive, the upper edge of the rst lining ply being connected to the edges of the facing plies, each of said lining plies being in flat engagement and adhesively united by said thermoplastic adhesive throughout their coextensive areas whereby stitching at the upper edge of the second lining ply to the first lining ply is avoided, the upper edge of the second lining ply being convexly curved so that said upper edge forms a shoulder at one side of the rst lining ply which defines the fold line and upper edge of the neck band portion of thecollar.

2. A collar according to claim 1 wherein another lining ply of similar dimension and shape to the second lining ply is adhesively united by said adhesive to the second lining ply throughout their coextensive areas and on the opposite side from said first-mentioned lining ply.

LEONARD U. MICHAEL. 

